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CU regents retreat to confront topic of academic priorities

Looking at how best to deploy university's limited resources

By Brittany Anas Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
07/13/2013 03:00:00 PM MDT

The University of Colorado regents at a retreat this week will discuss academic priorities -- a conversation that arises after some board members have expressed concerns about duplicate programs on campuses.

The regents will convene for their summer retreat Thursday and Friday at CU President Bruce Benson's mountain ranch near Kremmling, though the second day of meetings will be in executive session.

"In an era of declining resources, it's important that the university evaluate what is essential to fulfilling our mission as Colorado's flagship university," said Regent Michael Carrigan, board chairman and a Denver Democrat. "I think it's best to have that discussion outside of the context of the proposal of a specific program."

The regents are tasked with approving degree programs. Prior to the June approval of a new bachelor's of arts degree in neuroscience, Republican Regent Glen Gallegos raised the question of whether there's a balance in eliminating programs that don't have demand.

Carrigan says the upcoming review process will involve faculty, as well as staff and students. His biggest concern is programs that are costly, but not in high demand.

"I don't know any that meet that criteria, but I'm sure they are out there," he said.

CU is bringing in Robert Dickeson, former President of the University of Northern Colorado and former senior vice president of Lumina Foundation for Education to help lead the discussion. Dickeson wrote the book "Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services," which is based on his consulting experiences at colleges and corporations.

CU system spokesman Ken McConnellogue said the university is not paying Dickenson for his services.

McConnellogue said Dickenson will lead a discussion on how the university can best prioritize academic programs.

"But if everyone is trying to offer a specialty in some esoteric area of a subject, then maybe that's something, as a system, that we need to look at," he said.

Hybl said he hopes the board can have a discussion about what the system needs to do in a broad sense, and have the campuses look at how to best use their limited resources when it comes to academic programs.

The discussion on academic programs comes at a time when the Boulder campus is planning for two new colleges.

Boulder campus officials this spring revealed early plans for the new colleges: one focused on media, communication and information to replace the now-shuttered traditional journalism school; plus a second college that gives environmental and sustainability education room to grow.

If approved by the Board of Regents, they would be the first newly formed colleges at CU in five decades.

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